Now there's a real-time stream for the carbon footprint of electricity

As they explain, the amount of pollution caused by using a single unit of electricity changes throughout the day. This is because the “generation mix” on the grid changes. Sometimes there are more coal power stations running, for example. Other times there’s more wind power. Also, additional pollution can be caused by the extra back-up supply we need at times when our demand is hard to predict. So wouldn’t it be better if we could use power when it’s greenest?

Real Time Carbon lets you see the real-time carbon intensity of electricity so consumers can avoid consuming at times of high emissions. This could eventualy be linked to appliances, buildings and factories so they could automatically manage demand according to the carbon being released.